You hear a lot about mobile websites and desktop websites. You may have concerns about how your site appears on tablet screens. You may hear terms like “responsive design” or “HTML5” and wonder what that means for you.

Is this all just something for web geeks and trendy agencies to get excited about and push on people?

There’s a clear answer to that question: No.

Some form of mobile optimization is important for any business today. People expect it; your customers expect it. While it’s not going to be a quick and simple update in many cases, responsive web design is a beautiful way to achieve a mobile-optimized website.

What is responsive web design? Essentially, this means one website that automatically adjusts to display on any screen size in a way that makes viewing, reading, and using your site easy for all of your customers. It’s one site that works for all. And that seems like a tall order!

With consumers using their handsets as the main way to look up information while on the go, mobile local search is expected to exceed desktop search for local information in the next three years, according to a new forecast from BIA/Kelsey.

There are countless variations of smartphones and tablets out there that all fit into the category of mobile devices. How can you possibly design and build a website that works for every one?

Here is one of many great examples. You see the same site as it displays first on desktop, then on a tablet, then on a smartphone. The image sizes change, the title wraps, and the navigation becomes mobile friendly on the smartphone view.

The technical part of this is extensive once you get into all the details. However, it is not only manageable but gratifyingly logical and beautiful.

One of the biggest challenges is to work out what your website offers for content. This is the part of responsive web design that a business must take to heart, and the reason is that it will improve the experience for your own customers when they visit your site – even if they visit on a desktop monitor.

When redesigning a site to build as responsive design, the most effective strategy is to take a “mobile-first” approach. These are some things to consider:

• What do you want a person to do when they visit your site?
• call you, submit an online form, come to your store, purchase a product, read stories, share content
• Who is your target audience? Who are the people you most want visiting your site?
• What are people looking for when they visit your site?
• your name and logo – for credibility, your address, your phone number, your business hours, your main product, a certain story or topic
• What content does your target audience need?
• What content does your target audience not need?
• What is your website’s voice or personality? What image do you need to convey?

With the sheer size of the desktop monitor, many websites have evolved over time, gaining content and images and stuff that is not needed. Often the navigation is not clear or consistent. Sometimes the most obviously needed information, such as a phone number, is difficult to find. Many times, the space is cluttered simply out of the desire to fill space.

The mobile-first approach to website design and content can be a relief from such a burden. On tablets, and especially on smartphones, space is limited. Download speeds can be limited, as well; sometimes they can be expensive. So when your website is viewed on a mobile device, every bit of content matters. You need to share the most critical, valuable content with anyone visiting your site.

Whether people view your site on a smartphone, a tablet, or even a desktop monitor, they will appreciate you for it. Most importantly, they will have a good feeling about your business because their experience of your website was pleasurable. As a responsive design site, it met them where they were – on any device – and gave them what they needed.

So while the technical details of responsive design and its implementation definitely lies in the realm of web geekiness, the value of responsive design is something truly important for every business.

The post Mobile-First, Responsive Design Websites: Does This Really Matter? appeared first on 435 Digital.

They are using desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets,and smartphones — with screen sizes ranging from 3 inches to 27 inches or so. They’re on wired networks, wi-fi, 3G and 4G cellular networks. Some are sitting and browsing patiently, some are browsing intermittently while getting out of the car or sitting on the train, while shopping for some great new jeans or ordering dinner, while getting the kids ready for soccer practice or feeding the baby in the middle of the night — even while walking down the street or waiting for their friends who are always late.

Is your website a good experience in most situations on any device?

It’s a question worth considering since good user experience is good customer service, which leads to satisfied, happy, and returning customers.

According to Internal Google Data, via mobiThinking, mobile searches have quadrupled in the last year. A significant percentage of searches are now mobile.

• 1 in 3 mobile searches are local. After looking up a local business on their smartphone, 61 percent of users called the business and 59 percent visited.

• 71 percent of smartphone users who see a TV, print, or online ad, do a mobile search for more information, but 79 percent of large online advertisers still do not have a mobile optimized site.

A large percentage of businesses in general still do not have a mobile–optimized site. Yet you may wonder what the big deal is about mobile optimized. If your website can be viewed on a mobile device — and many can be — why optimize? What’s the difference?

Here are five great reasons it matters:

1. People can read mobile–optimized sites.

A site that is designed for a mobile–sized screen is a great experience. People can see all the content you have to offer right away – no squinting, zooming, sideways scrolling, reaching for the reading glasses. Why would anyone bother doing all of that just for your site? More than likely, they’ll leave and spend time exploring sites that work well on their beloved smartphones.

2. Mobile–optimized sites load more quickly.

Who doesn’t get frustrated waiting for sites to load on their phones? Who waits around when it takes too long? Especially when someone is trying to take a quick look before crossing a street or before making a purchasing decision. You have a strong edge if you’re simply there when your customers need you.

3. Video and graphics look good on mobile–optimized sites.

A good mobile site does not use Flash. It won’t work on a lot of phones.  Flash technology is frequently used on desktop sites to display videos, but it just doesn’t work at all or doesn’t work well on many smartphones or tablets, including iPhones, iPads, Windows 7 phones, Blackberries, and some Android devices. Your valuable content will be lost if it is not served in a way that actually works.

4. Smartphones are used by 58% of American consumers.

And smartphones are used by 76% of those under age 44, according to a 2012 study by Frank N. Magid Associates. That’s a lot of potential customers you can lose or gain in mere seconds based on their experience using your website on their mobile phones.

5. At least 46% of smartphone owners browse the Internet on their devices “several times per day.”

This is according to the Edison Research/Arbitron Internet and Multimedia Research Series. The percentage of smartphone owners who browse the Internet at least once every day is much higher.

Here’s your opportunity:

With so many businesses not yet providing a great mobile experience, you still have an especially prime opportunity to be ahead of the competition — to pleasantly surprise people, gain their confidence, and sell your product or service all because you provided a mobile–optimized website that served the desired content when and where it was needed.

The post Why Does Your Business Need a Mobile Website? appeared first on 435 Digital.